Perylene-containing compounds, such as perylene diimide (PDI) derivatives, are dyes possessing intense visible light absorption, high photochemical and air stability, strong electron-accepting ability, and near-unity fluorescence quantum yields. These advantageous properties are derived from PDIs' molecular structure, based on a rigid, fused aromatic core, which favors π-π intermolecular interactions, and is highly amenable to functionalization (See FIG. 1). Collectively, their outstanding chemical and physical properties make perylene derivatives attractive as pigments, materials for optoelectronic devices, and fluorescent labels for biological systems.
Due to their optical characteristics, as well as excellent chemical, photo, thermal, and mechanical stabilities, perylene diimides have long established themselves as important industrial pigments, especially in textile and high-grade paint industries. However, more recently, new applications for PDI derivatives have emerged in conjunction with their favorable photophysical and electronic properties, such as high molar absorption coefficients, reversible redox chemistry, and excellent charge transport behavior. For example, certain PDI derivatives have attracted interest as photovoltaic functional materials, as they exhibit n-type behavior, strong electron-accepting character, and high electron mobilities. To date, PDIs in general have been utilized in various types of optical and electronic devices, as diverse as organic field-effect transistors (OFETs), fluorescent solar collectors, electrophotographic systems, dye-based lasers, and organic photovoltaic cells (OPVs).